His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai re-designed tourist visa policies in a cabinet meeting. Sheikh Mohammad wrote about a meeting in Arabic language via tweet.
The new tourist visa will now be for five years, as a multiple entry visa for all nationalities. UAE hails 21 million visitors annually, said Sheikh Mohammed. The main motive of the decision is to further solidify the country's position as a vital tourist destination globally.
Up till now, 30 days or 90 days visa was provided to tourists as a single-entry or multiple-entry. Travelers from Africa, some South American countries, Arab states outside the Gulf and European states from outside the European Union and former Soviet Union required visas previously.
Dubai is to host Expo 2020, a big budget global trade fair in the month of October.
In another tweet, Sheikh Mohammed wrote, "In a meeting of cabinet today, we reviewed our achievements made over the past year. We have planned for year 2020 to be a different year as it marks the preparation of coming 50 years from now on."
News came out from source; holders of new five year multiple-entry tourist visa would be allowed to stay for 6 months at a stretch.
Ali Mohammad Bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship has been tasked with implementing the new decision.